On Jan. 2, certain sheep (Ovis aries) were added to CITES (The Washington Convention) and require additional documentation for international trade. However, the domesticated form Ovis aries aries is not subject to the provisions of the convention. The relevant part of the CITES Appendices reads:

Appendix I: Ovis aries ophion; Ovis aries vignei

Appendix II: Ovis aries (except the subspecies included in Appendix I, the subspecies O. a. isphahanica, O. a. laristanica, O. a. musimon and O. a. orientalis, which are not included in the appendices, and the domesticated form Ovis aries aries, which is not subject to the provisions of the convention)

Shortly after this change, additional information regarding shipments of wool products were requested in relation to these declarations on invoices for wool products:

Raw Materials are NOT made of OVIS ARIES OPHION or OVIS ARIES VIGNEI

Raw Materials are made of BRED/DOMESTICATED OVIS ARIES ARIES.

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as The Washington Convention) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. The species covered by CITES are listed in three appendices, according to the degree of protection they need.

Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.

Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade.

Reprinted in part from Textiles and Trade

ASI

ASI keeps sheep industry members updated on ASI activities and industry news by regularly distributing and updating various information pieces and sources.